Heney l



(No Model.)

H. L. BAILEY.

ELECTRIC DEVICE FOR SYNCHRONIZING CLOCK PENDULUMS.

Patented Dec. 2, 1884.

WITNESSES INVENTOR M flemy L .fiaz'ley,

. By his fltzfiorneys @A aywms N. PETERS. Phmuiflhugnphcr. Whhmglcn. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY L. BAILEY, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO THE TIME TELEGRAPH COMPANY, OF NEIV YORK, 1%". Y.

ELECTRlC DEVICE FOR SYNCHRONEZlNG CLOGK-PENDULUMS.

Application tiled February 2, 1884.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY L. BAILEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Synchronizing Electric Clocks by Electricity, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the class of apparatus employed for maintaining the vibrating pendulums of a series of clocks in unison with each other.

The ObJEOb of the invention is to provide means for deriving from prolonged electric impulsessuch, for instance, as are obtained by the movements of the pendulum of an electrically-actuated regulator momentary elec tric impulses, and to employ these impulses for vitalizing one or more electromagnets which are designed to act upon one or more vibrating pendulums in the proper manner and at the proper intervals to maintain them in unison with the primary pendulum.

The invention consists in applying to an electric circuit the connections of which are completed and interrupted with the proper frequency an electro-magnet the armature of which causes a second or local circuit to be momentarily closed at each completion and each interruption of the primary circuit.

In carrying out the invention I prefer to provide the armature with two flexible contactsprings and two resting -stops, against which they are normally pressed by their resilience. The two contact-springs constitute the terminals of the secondary circuit. Two contact stops in electrical connection with each other are respectively applied to the two springs, and against these they are alternately caused to impinge by the movements of the armaturedever. Vv hen, however, the armature is in either of its positions of rest-that is to say, either in proximity to or remote from the electro-magnetone or the other of the springs is forced away from its contact-stop by means of the corresponding resting-stop. At the central point of its vibration, however, both the contact-springs rest against their respective contact-stops and complete the connections of an electric circuit in which are included one or more electromagnets for synch- (No model.)

ronizing the pendulums. These electro-mag nets are so located with reference to the respective pendulums to which they are applied that they are vitalized by the currents traversing the same at the precise moment an armature carried upon the pendulum is passing its vibration across the field of force of one of the magnets. If, however, any pendulum has been thrown out of unison and swings slightly in advance or behind the primary pendulum, the vitalization of the electroanag net will occur either immediately after or 1inmediately before the pendulum has passed the electro-magnet. The force thus exerted upon the armature of the pendulum by the electromagnet will then act either to retard or to accelerate the movement of the pendulum as required, and a unison of the same with the movements of the primary pendulum will eventually be secured.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates my invention, I have represented in diagram the organization of circuits and apparatus which I prefer to employ.

Referring to this drawing, A represents the primary pendulum of an electric clock, and A represents the pendulum of the secondary electric clock which it is designed to synchronize. The pendulum Ais supported in any suitable manner, preferably by a flexible strip of metal, 13, secured to the frame or support 0. Upon the pendulum A is fixed a bracket, D, having two arms, (1 and (1 respectively projecting from opposite sides of the same. The contact-points d and (I are respectively carried at the extremities of the arms (1 and d.

Above the arms (1 and (I extend two resilient arms or springs, c and e", secured to, but go insulated from, the support 0. The contact points 0" and c are respectively carried at the extremities of these arms, and they are designed to make contact with the corresponding points, d and d, near the respectivelimits 5 of the vibration of the pendulum A.

Secured to the frame of the mechanism is a bracket, I upon which is pivoted a table or rocking support, H, having its center of oscillation in the same vertical plane with the support of the pendulum A, but preferably in a lower horizontal plane.

Near the respective extremities of the table H are carried two upwardly-projecting arms, h and h", respectively designed to raise the corresponding spring, 6 or 6*, whenever the corresponding end of the table is raised.

In the drawing the table is represented as in ahorizontal position, both springs being slightly raised by the arms h and 7L2. If, however, the left-hand end of the table, for instance, be depressed, the spring c will be still further raised, while the spring 6 will be allowed to fall, which it will do by virtue of its resilience. The table H is designed to be so operated that the springs or resilient arms 0 and 6' will in this manner he alternately raised by means of the corresponding arms, h, and h'flwhen the pendulum is near one limit or the other of its vibration. The remaining spring will at the same time be released, and it will impart an impulse to the pendulum by virtue of the pressure exerted through the contact-points. Two electromagnets, M and M are provided for tilting the table H alternately in one direction or the other by acting upon two armatures, on and m, respectively attached to the opposite extremities of the table. One pole of a battery, 0, is connected through a conductor, 1, with the support 0, and thus with the bracket D and contactpoints d and d. The opposite pole of the battery 0 is connected through conductors 2, 3, and ewith the outer terminals of the coils of the electro-magnets M and M, respectively, while the inner terminals of these coils are connected through conductors 5 and 6 with the resilient arms 0 and e, and thus with the contact-points c" and 0, respectively. It will be understood, therefore, that when the contact-point d, for instance, is carried by the movement of the pendulum toward the left hand against the contact-point c the circuit of the battery 0 will be completed through conductors 2 and 3, the coils of the, electro magnet M, conductor 5, resilient arm 0, contact-points c and d, bracket 1), supporting spring 13, support 0, and conductor 1. The electro-magnet M will thus be vitalized and the lefthand end of the table H will be drawn downward, thereby releasing the resilient arm (2; hence the arm 0 will exert a pressure up on the arm (1 through the contacts 0 and d", and the pendulum will be caused to swing toward the righthand, not only by the action of gravity, but also under the influence of the additional force exerted by the spring 0. The resilient arm or spring 6 will continue to exert the pressure until it is arrested by strilr ing against the arm h. The further move ment of the pendulum by virtue of its acquired momentum will cause the separation of the contact-points c" and (2, thus interrupting the circuit of the battery 0 through the electro-magnet M. The point (1 will, how ever, be carried into contact with the point 0, thereby completing the circuit of the battery 0 through the conductors 2 and l, the electro-magnet M conductor 6, contact-points c and d, bracket I), and conductor 1. The elec tro-magnet M will thereby be vitalized, and the right-hand end of the table II will be drawn downward, releasing the spring 6", which will add an impulse to the pendulum A, tending to again vibrate it toward the left hand. This operation will be repeated for each semi-vibration of the pendulum. It is evident that the circuit through one electromagnet will be completed either immediately before that through the other is interrupted or immediately thereafter, or the completion of one may be simultaneous with the interruption of the other circuit. In practice, however, it is preferable, for use in this or ganization, that the latter arrangement be employed. Any suitable means may be employed in connection with the contact-points for preventing the occurrence of sparks thereat.

By considering the operation of the instru ment thus described it will be seen that the circuit of the battery 0 is completed one-hal f the timesay for periods of one second at a timethrough the electro-magnet M, and for equal periods through the eleccromagnet M, and that while the circuit is complete through one electro-magnet the circuit through the other is interrupted. An electric current will therefore traverse the conductor 3 for one sec 0nd, and then the conductor t for a like period. It is the purpose of this invention to employ-the currents thus obtained for occasioning impulses of short duration, which are caused to traverse the coils of electro-magnets 7; and 7;, which are applied to the pendulum A. For this purpose an electro'magnet, I, is included in the circuit of the battery 0 by being interposed in one of the conductors leading through the elecfro-magnet Iil. In the drawings I have shown this eleetro-inagnet as included in the conductor 4, and an artificial resistance, It, is preferably placed in the 0011- ductor 3, for the purpose of rendering the re sistance of the two circuits approximately equal. If desired, however, a duplicate of the elcctroanagnet I may be substituted for the resistance It. This electromagnet is provided with an armature, G, which, so long as the electro-magnet is not vitalized, is withdrawn from its poles by means of a retractile spring, N. \Vhen, however the circuit of the battery 0 is completed through the conductoret, this armature is attracted into its forward position.

Upon the armature t} are carried two insulated contact-springs, p and 11-,wlrich respectively extend beneath two resting-contacts, p"

and 1), carried upon opposite sides of the armature. The contact-springs p and 1) are respectively provided with adjustable contactstops 0" and 1". "he contact-springs are respectively connected with two terminals of an electric conductor, 1, in which is included a battery, 0. The positions of the stops?" and 2- are so adjusted that at a single point in the vibration of the armature G the two springs p and p? will rest against the respective contact-stops r and 9, thereby completing the connections of the battery 0 through the springs and the contact-stops and their conducting-support R. \Vheinhowever, the armature passes beyond this intermediate point, either in its movement toward or away from the electro-magnet 1?, one of the springs will be carried by the corresponding stop, p or p, out of contact with its contactstop r or r thereby interrupting the circuit-comiections of the battery 0. during the movement of the armature the circuit-connections will be completed only for an instant, whether the movement be toward or away from the magnet I. The impulses thus obtained are employed for vitalizing one or more of the elcctro-magnets 7; k which are applied to the pendulum to be synchronized. In the drawing I have represented two electro-magnets, k, as applied to a single pendulum, A, and these are placed near the respective limits of its vibration.

Upon the pendulum A is carried an armature, which is designed to be acted upon by the electro-magnets when in proximity thereto. It will be seen that the connections of the battery 0 will be completed twice during each complete vibration of the pendulum A. The pendulum A is therefore, for example, adjusted to vibrate so that it will pass the electro-magnet It in its outward swing at the instantthe circuit of the battery 0 is completed by the movement of the armature G- away from the electro-magnet P. Likewise the pendulum A will pass the pole of the magnet 7& on its outward movement the instant of the completion of the circuit of the battery 0 by the movement of the armature G toward the electro-magnet 1 So long, therefore, as the pendulums swing in unison the resultant elt'ect of the magnets upon the armature, and thus upon the pendulum A, will he of no value,and the pendulum will continue to vibrate without being ati'ected thereby. It, however, the pendulum A be in advance of the pendulum A, the armature 7;" will have passed the center of the tield of force of the magnet k, for instance, during the outward movement immediately before the correlative completion of the circuit of the battery 0 occurs. The action of the magnet it will there fore be to retard the pendulum upon its out ward movement. The action of the magnet 19 will be the same,and eventually the pendul um A will be brought into unison with the pondulum A. The action of the electro-magncts upon the pendulum, when the latter has fallen behind the primary pendulum A, is the reverse of that described-that is, they will act to impel the same with greater rapidity, adding an acceleratingimpulse each time the circuit ofthe battery 0 is completed. When the secondary or synchronized pendulums have once been brought into unison with the pond ulum A, they will remain so, provided they are adjusted so that they will naturally swing in approximately the same periods.

It will be seen, therefore, that It is evident that one electro magnet, or is, might be employed alone in connection with each pendulum; or the latter might be constructed to beat with twice the rapidity of the pendulum Athat is to say, their periods might be one hall" the length of the period of the pendulum A. It is evident, moreover, that various other forms of primary circuit-closing (levees may be employed for completing the primary circuit.

The limiting-sto is m" and m are preferably applied to the armature G, and these are rendered adjustable. By adjusting the positions ot'these stops with rel'crcnce to the contact stops r and r, the posit-ion occupied by the armature (l at the moment the circuit of the battery 0' is completed may be readily adjusted. This feature is of value when it is desired to modify 'he position ot'the armature in which it shall act to complete the secondary circuit.

It is evident that there are various other methods of deriving tne momentary impulses frointheperiodicimpulses; butitisnot deemed necessary to further illustrate the invention.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, substantially as hereinbct'ore set forth, with a clock-pendulum and an electric battery the circuit-connections of which are completed andinterrupted through the action of said pendulum, of one or more secoinlary pcndulums, one or more synchro' nizing electro-magucts applied to said secondary pcnduluins. and an electro-magnet ineluded in the circuit of said battery and act ing to momentarily complete the connections of an electric circuit through the coils of said synchronizing magnets each time the connections of the first-named circuit are completed or interrupted.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbetbre set forth, with a regulatingpendulum, a circuitcloser actuated thereby, and an electric circuit the connections of which are periodically completed and interrupted by the action of said circuit-closer, of a secondary electric circuit t 1e connections of which are momentarily completed at each completion and interruption of the first-named circuit, and one or more electro-magi'icts included in said secondary circuit.

5). The combination, substantially as here inbefore set forth, with a regulating-pendulum, a circuit-closer actuated thereby, a bat I and a circuit for said battery, the connections of which are periodically completed and interrupted by the action of said circuit closer, ota second battery, one or more electro-magnets included in the circuit of the same, an electro-magnet vitalizcd by the firstnamed battery, an armature applied to the last-named cl-cctronuagnet, contact-springs applied to said armature and constituting terminals ot' the circuit of said second battery, contact-points [or said springs, which points are in electrical connection with each other, with which points said springs are respectively in momentary contact during the movement of said armature toward or away from its electro-magnct, whereby the CllCllllL-COl1- uections of the second battery are caused to be both completed through the first-named electro-magnets and interrupted during each movement of the last-named armature.

a. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a pendulum, a circuitcloser actuated thereby, a battery, a circuit for the same, a second battery the connec tions of which are completed by said circuitcloser, an electro-magnet included in said circuit, an armature and armattire-lever applied thereto, and contacts, substantially such as described, serving to momentarily complete the connections of said second battery during each movement of said armature either toward or away 'l'l'Olll its eleotrounagnet at: an. intermediate point in its excursion.

5. The combination, substantially as here inbefore set forth, with an clectrounagnct and means, substantially such as described, for periodically \italizing the same, of a battery the OlIOLlllJ OfWlIlClL is completed each time said magnet is magnetized or demagnetized, one or more cloclepemlulnms, and one or more elcctro-magnets included in the circuit ol' said battery applied to said pendulnms, substantially as desc *ibed.

6. The combination, substantially as hereinbet'ore set forth, with an eleetro-ma 'net and its armature, and means, substantially such as described, for eriodically yitalizing same, of two contact-stops in electric connection with each other, applied to said armature, two contact-springs carried upon said armatnre and caused by the movements of the same to alternately impinge against their respective contact-stops, an electric circuit the terminals of which are respectively connected with said contaetsprings, and means, substantially such as described, :t'or causing one of said COlll'ilChwilll'lllQS to impinge against the contact-stop before the other spring has been carried away l'rom its stop.

The combination, substantially as hereinbel'ore set forth, of a pendulum, a circuit closer actuated thereby, a battery, a circuit for the same, a second battery the connections of which are completed by said circuitcloser, an electro magnet included in said circuit, an armature and arrmiture-lever applied thereto, contacts, substantially such as described, serving to momentarily complete the connections of said second battery during each morement ol said armature either toward or away l'rom its clectro-magnet at an intermediatepoint in its excursion, and means, substantially such as described, for modifying the length of time during which said second circuit shall be thus completed,

in testimony whereof .l. have hereunto subscribed my name this 31st day of January, A. D. 188

Tfitnesses:

3min. W. Enuneonn, thrit'mpns A. funny. 

